YOUR method for stripping in a FL pleeeeease!!

StefandTodd

If you have an HE FL washer - how do you strip diapers?  I am reading all the tutorials/advice, etc I can online, but I would really love to hear from people I know and trust about what has actually worked for them.  We had barnyard stink smell, so I increased detergent, and now I have ammonia smell, so I'm thinking I need to strip.  And I'm *thisclose* to spending next Saturday at the laundromat stripping diapers!  Please tell me there's a better way!  TIA

tokenhoser

I just used a bit of Dawn on clean diapers, washed on hot, rinsed until no bubbles (2 or 3 times). A dab about the size of a quarter?

This probably voids your warranty. It didn't do any damage, though.

I'd also bleach at the same time if I was you (1/4 cup chlorine bleach in the bleach dispenser in the drawer). 

What detergent are you using? You might want to switch.

StefandTodd

Thank you!  Can I ask some dumb questions please??   I use a lot of BG 4.0's, but we use fitteds for overnight, some hemp inserts in our FB's, and some blueberries with bamboo.  I wash everything together always.  Most of our inserts are MF, but not all.  Does the whole diaper need stripping?  Just the inserts?  Or just MF inserts?

We use Tiny Bubbles...man, I would hate to switch b/c I bought a case after it worked well for us =/  But I could.  What would you suggest trying?  Try something different after stripping?  Or try something different and see if the ammonia smell sticks around?  TIA.

tokenhoser

I strip everything - I use pockets, so if I'm having issues, the shells need to be stripped, too. Covers are probably fine to skip stripping (plain PUL won't be retaining anything). I'd strip the fitteds, bamboo, hemp, and MF all together, plus your FB's and BG's.

Maybe play around with using a little less detergent? Or adding a scoop of something to soften the water a bit (either calgon or washing soda)? If you've got a lot of Tiny Bubbles, it makes sense to try to make it work.

kaeti_su

RLR has worked the best for us. Wash like normal, then toss RLR in the washer drum with the clean diapers. Hot wash, extra rinse. Then, for us it worked best to fill our bathtub with hot water and throw the diapers in there to soak before squeezing out as much water as possible before doing more rinses in the washer. 

Forgot to add, we haven't needed to strip since switching to Tiny Bubbles AND using Calgon. Our water is really hard. So even though some people can get away with using Tiny Bubbles without it, I'd give it a try and see if it solves your stink issues.

StefandTodd

Thank you both very much!

katie4253

RLR worked best for us.  Dawn helped, but for the major funk, we needed the RLR.

BrendaLou1969

I used RLR to get rid of diaper rash cream buildup on my overnight diapers.  Works wonders that stuff does.

koopa+troopa

RLR in the washing machine - adding a ton of extra HOT HOT water and letting them agitate for five minutes/ hit pause, let sit for couple hours / agitate for a bit / hit pause etc. Then rinse until the cows come home (no bubbles.)

I also have had luck with Oxyclean soaks for ammonia issues. I do these in a big rubbermaid tub  (hot water, six to eight hours, stirring about every so often)and then toss in the machine and wash with a tad of detergent and rinse until no bubbles.

I have always added extra water to my hot wash, since my FL doesn't add enough water with 8-10 heavily absorbent fitteds in it, but recently discovered that I need to be adding extra cold water to my rinses to get all the bubbles out. I'm doing 3-4 rinses total, with added water, and everything has been groovy since. I am also adding vinegar to a hot prewash.